


Jade

by TheArcReactor (LazarusII)



Series: Marvel One-Shots [8]
Category: Avengers Assemble (Cartoon), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Emotions, Possible Character Death, Protective Steve Rogers, Protective Tony Stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-17
Updated: 2018-09-17
Packaged: 2019-07-13 08:13:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16013897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LazarusII/pseuds/TheArcReactor
Summary: A little girl gets caught up in a battle between Red Skull and Tony Stark.





	Jade

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoy!

 

Central Park seemed to positively glow in the morning sunshine. The grass, still sporting a hint of morning dew, sparkled like small jewels as the morning's throng of people laid down their blankets atop its wide birth. Trees ruffled in a soft breeze that sent several birds fluttering for a more secure landing. Nearby, the fountain splashed a soft rhythm into the morning air, sending the odd drop of water onto the marble-like surface around it. All was calm and relaxed, relishing in what was predicted to be a beautiful day. 

Despite the beauty and light-hearted mood of her surroundings, a small girl sat on one of the benches near the fountain, her face buried in small, shaky hands. Tears ran between her fingers and the occasional sob shook her young shoulders.

A shadow fell over her small body, causing her to look up. Red-rimmed blue eyes gazed widened as she took in the expensive suit and polished shoes. Grey-tinted Aviators flashed as the man slowly pulled them from his face.

Even she could recognize Iron Man in real life. She’d seen him countless times on the news, even more while flying in the sky.

“Mr. Stark,” she gasped, cupping a hand over her mouth in shock.

“Hey kid, you alright?” He asked, snapping gum from between his teeth. If anything, he looked bored out of his mind.

She hiccupped and curled her knees to her chest.

“I can’t find my mom,” she whispered. The man deadpanned before breaking into a smile. Small crinkles appeared next to his eyes, she noted, something that she had never noticed on TV before.

Stark offered a hand, bowing slightly in order to reach her. “What’s your name?” He asked, not unkindly.

“Jade,” she replied, feeling hope spark in her chest as she took the hand, sliding off of the bench.

“Well, Jade,” he said, cocking his head as he towered above her, “let’s find your mother. If we walk for a bit, she might see us.”

“She was near the fountain last time I saw her,” she said shortly, “but I don’t see her here.”

He huffed, “well that’s no help. Feel up for a short walk?” Glancing down, he let out a soft chuckle at the look on her face. “You can keep a lookout for her that way. What does your mom look like anyway?”

Jade nodded, all worry falling away, “my mom has dark brown hair. She should be wearing a blue shirt and grey shorts. Uhh… she’s tall.”

“For you, maybe,” he smirked, “that’s fine, we’ll look for her.”

They proceeded to walk a lap of the park, chatting off and on over their observations. Jade would sneak glances up at Tony (she’d never actually call him that) every so often. She knew she should be watching for her mother, but he was so much more interesting to look at.

It was very different, walking with a superhero. Her mother had always talked about him like he was very different from everyone else. He had seemed so different then, almost inhuman, just like the rest of the Avengers seemed. Now, as she slowly strode alongside him, she noticed the small things -the things that made him human. There was a small curl of hair out of place near the back of his head, sticking up like a small tail from beneath carefully-groomed waves. A scrape was just barely healed, marring the skin under his chin behind his goatee. _The small stuff_.

They had just begun the walk back to the fountain when Jade mustered the courage to ask him a question that had been bugging her since she’d first watched him on TV.

“Mr. Stark?” She asked, staring up at him with wide eyes.

“Hmm?” He hummed a response, looking to the side, scanning the grass to their right.

“What’s it like being a superhero?”

Tony hesitated slightly, slowing his pace and fidgeting with this free hand. A brief frown of concentration flashed across his face.

“It’s rather… busy,” he finished rather quickly. He grappled with words, clearly conflicted, “there’s always work to be done.”

Jade felt admiration take over her face and she glowed. She had just asked Tony Stark a question. With a soft whistle through her teeth, she forced down her inner fangirl.

“Wow.” Was all she managed as a reply.

They rounded another corner, starting their second lap through the fountain area. By now, several people had noticed that there was a celebrity in their midst, pulling out their phones for a picture. To her surprise, Tony waved them away, shooting her a half-cocked smile as he did so.

“I don’t know if your mother would approve,” he joked, shrugging.

Jade giggled, squeezing his hand.

It was then that a rumble filled the air, growing in volume by the second. Tony froze, his gaze trained upwards. Jade followed his eyes and gasped. A ship had appeared above them, a door opening from its side.

“HYDRA Tony hissed, tense all of a sudden. Jade did not understand, clinging to his jacket with shaking fingers.

“Mr. Stark, what is that?” Her voice quivered, “who is that man?”

A terrifying figure had appeared in the hatch of the sleek-looking jet. His face was of a thin-stretched red skin, almost mask-like in form. The rest of him was encased in… was that Iron Man’s armor?

Screams echoed through the park. Off to their right and under the ship itself, a yoga class dispersed in all directions, their cries echoing off of the nearby buildings. It felt as though the entire park had emptied in seconds.

She was alone with Tony and the scary man.

Above her, Tony tapped his wrist, hissing something urgent into a small device there. Brown eyes flicked downwards, briefly meeting hers. Chills ran down her spine as she saw the deep worry embedded in his face. A hand came down to the small of her back.

Looking back up, he set his jaw.

“What do you want, Skull?” He challenged, “you know I’m on vacation, right?”

A heavily-accented German voice replied, oddly loud against the jet engines. “Your death, Stark! Something I’ve been looking forward to for years now!”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that!” Tony sneered back, a feral smile spreading across his face, pulling at the cut on his jaw.

The hand tapped her on the shoulder blade as his eyes flicked down to her.

“On three, I need you to run,” he whispered in an undertone, “I know you’re scared, but I’m asking you to, okay?”

She nodded, fresh tears sparking in her eyes.

“NO MORE TRICKS, STARK!” The man called Skull bellowed. A high-pitched whine filled the air.

Tony cursed at the top of his lungs, pulling Jade off of his legs with surprising force. He shoved her forwards, stumbling. Jade, nearly falling, hesitated. Her legs shook from fear as she waited for the man to recover.

“What are you waiting for, run you idiot!” Tony was right beside her in a flash. Gripping her hand and whipping her around faster than her brain could process.

Jade was gone, her short legs pumping as fast as they could, carrying her across the grass towards the main road. The ground shook nearby, sending great sprays of soil into the air. Something collided with her back and she plowed into the grass, skidding to a halt. Tears ran freely down her face when she rose. Pinpricks of pain sparked from her elbows and knees; looking down, she saw blood mixing with the dirt patterns traced across her skin.

Chancing a glance back, she gasped, scrambling to her feet as a hand closed around her upper arm. It was _not_ Tony, she could tell from the grip itself. This hand was crushing, cutting into her skin like a knife as metallic gloves burned into her skin. A pair of blazing eyes met her own, but they were not the same, smiling eyes that Tony had. A savage smile appeared on Skull’s face as he roughly dragged her in front of him, lifting her into the air by the waist.

There was no helping it. She screamed at the top of her lungs.

 “Mr. Stark!” The name came out as a wheeze as she beat her fists into the arm pinning her down. The cold metal was unrelenting and her knuckles burned. Silver light, reflected from the sun, burned into her eyes like a wildfire, making her blink furiously.

“Let her go!” A high-pitched whine filled the air, piercing her ears. A sob tore from her throat, raw and desperate. Eyes blurry with tears, Jade struggled to see what was behind her. Tony had just said something. Was he alive? Of course, he would be -he _had_ to be- he was Iron Man after all… A sparkle of red-gold caught Jade’s eye as she twisted about. Like a fire, the color burned into her vision, reminding her vaguely of a fire engine. It was him.

The world spun as she was thrown roughly to the ground. A mix between a hiccup and a sob left her lips as her spine hit the ground, driving the air from her body. For the second time in minutes, a metallic arm subdued her, this time clamping over her neck. Wheezing, she heard herself sobbing, rough gasps whining in her chest with the effort. Weakly, she clawed at the hand holding her, her nails squealing against the armor’s surface.

“Let. Her. Go.” This time, Tony’s voice had a different sound to it. Mixed in with the metallic speaker of the suit, he sounded menacing. To Jade, it was downright scary, roaring about in her head as she fought for breath.

Out of the corner of her vision, she saw the red-gold armor glittering in the morning sun. An arm was extended, palm facing outwards.  An ominous blue light surrounded his hand, growing brighter by the second. Her blood ran cold as she realized that he was aiming right at her. That terrible whine filled the air once more.

Tony had seemed like such a nice person. He was a hero! Would he fire on her? Who was Skull? Was it worth her death? Jade squeezed her eyes shut, feeling the metal hand closing even harder around her body. Her body felt heavy as though filled with lead. The grass was warm and welcoming, like a bed, the great hand a weighted blanket across her throat. Memories of getting a tooth pulled crossed her mind. It had been a surgery where they’d given her sleeping gas. This felt just like it, but her chest felt a little tighter, a little less-

“You won’t strike me,” the low purr of Skull’s voice hummed. It was a distant sound, as though far away. “Move and I’ll snap the little brat’s neck like a twig.”

_“Dammit, Skull! She’s innocent, let her go!”_

_“Surrender, Stark. Surrender or she dies!”_

There was a roar of sound and suddenly the weight on her throat was gone. Jade choked and retched, rolling onto her stomach, fingers clawing at the grass. Dirt cemented itself inside of her nails, caking onto her fingertips. It didn’t matter.

She was alive.

 

 

The whining that she’d heard earlier was now all around her, screeching through the air like a megaphone set too high. Jade added her own scream to the din, her hands coming up to her head, pressing down upon her ears in the hope of dampening the sound.

Something collided with her shoulder, dislodging her arms. She twisted, the hand breaking free of her neck. Air flooded into her lungs. The cold, fresh air slammed into the back of her throat making her cough. Her heart seemed to be pounding right above her collarbone, throbbing where the metallic fingers had pressed into soft skin.

Through the dust and smoke rising from the combat, Jade could see that clouds had overtaken the sun, darkening the world around them. More enemy ships had joined the first, forming a circle around the park, firing down upon the occupants. Flashes of red could be seen from within the billowing smoke, a figure which she suspected was Tony. Even as she watched, a ship spiraled from the air across the park from her. The destroyed body belched smoke and tottered on its axis before plunging down onto the tree line. Several soldiers dressed in black swarmed out of its belly, raising weapons to their shoulders as they sprinted towards her. 

The sound of a different engine hissed in the air and Jade curled into a ball, feeling clumps of grass hit her shoulders. Another ship had landed nearby. Maybe they wouldn’t see her if she stayed still.

“Get her away from here!” Came a female voice, strong and assertive, “head for the downed ship!”

The unfamiliar cry met her ears just as someone hoisted her up into the air with incredible strength, clutching her to their chest as if she weighed nothing more than a newborn. Hair flying in all directions and tears blocking her sight, Jade lashed out with flying fists, pummeling the person with all her might.

 “NO!” Jade cried, “don’t take me! Don’t-”

It was then that she realized her fists were not hitting Skull’s suit. They weren’t even hitting metal. She was hitting something red and blue; and distinctly leather in feel. She froze.

A sea of blond hair came down as a large shadow covered her field of vision. With a thundering report -similar to a gong- a flash of blue light lit the air, bouncing off of what she soon realized was a shield. Object pinged off of its surface, protecting them both.

Jade did not need to look at the man’s face to know that she had just been saved by Captain America.

The man fought gracefully. He was both clean and efficient, not killing, but easily taking out the soldiers before them. His fists were blurs of red as he struck and no one could defend against the power behind them. Clinging to his chest, Jade watched through narrowed eyes, taking in the chaos through an opening the size of a keyhole.

She finally saw the tree line appear before them, the narrow Oaks rising into the air, their branches whipping about from the exhaust of the ships. A soldier threw himself at them, gun raised above his head as he drove its butt down on her savior’s shoulder.

“Look out!” She yelled, twisting.

Captain America had seen him coming from miles off, that much was clear. What he obviously had _not_ accounted for was her movement. While a well-aimed backhand stopped the incoming threat, a foot also shot out in a vain attempt at balance. Letting out a cry, Jade felt herself -once more- collide with the earth.

This time, she rolled on impact, coming to a stop crouched like a cat ready to spring. Hearing yells, Jade turned quickly to face whatever was behind her. As she took in the fight, Jade’s eyes widened.

Captain America was close by, engaged in combat with Skull who seemed to be struggling. Past them, Iron Man was leading the remaining three ships on a wild goose chase about Central Park, weaving between trees and dancing about in the sky like a bird. Gunfire peppered the ground below from the battle above. The third ship, which had landed behind Jade earlier, was on the ground, providing cover to two dark figures as they took on the remaining soldiers. 

_“Jade!”_

A call came from outside the park, beyond the perimeter that the police had set up. Jade’s heart jumped into her throat as she recognized the voice.

“Mom!” She cried, scrambling to her feet. Dodging around a tree, she saw a woman in a blue and grey running outfit standing on the other side of the tape, leaning over so fat that a large amount of dark hair flowed over her shoulders. 

A small crowd had collected outside the park, gasping at explosions and letting out soft whispers as they took in the battle before them. The Fire Dept. and Police were there as well, attempting to break up the onlookers and send them home. Needless to say that they had little success.

“Jade,” Jade’s mother said as she came into earshot, “you had me so worried!”

Ducking under the yellow tape, Jade fell right into her mother’s arms. Sobs shook her small shoulders as she buried her face into that familiar blue shirt. It took a minute for her to realize that her mother was shaking as well. Cold hands wove through her hair, picking out clumps of grass.

“My baby… I’m so glad you’re safe.”

Her mother pulled back, staring at her with a tearstained expression.

Jade opened her mouth to tell her mother that she was glad to be safe too, but a collective gasp echoed through the crowd.

_“Tony!”_

A huge explosion shook the air and Jade turned away as a rush of heat rolled across her. Her mother gasped and did the same. Smoke, thicker than before, billowed around them. From inside the park came an alien roar. It was a raw sound like a wounded animal.

“Oh my god. We need to get out of here,” whispered Jade’s mother, pulling her shirt up over her nose. She gestured for Jade to do the same.

A gloved hand found Jade’s shoulder making her jump, seeming to appear out of nowhere. It seemed almost claw-like in nature. Dark blood seeped into her shirt, warm and damp. Briefly blinded by fear, she screamed, quickly muffling the sound with her hand as she saw who it was. Her mother started forwards, worry all over her face.

It happened so fast that Jade didn’t really have time to process it all.

Mask gone and covered in blood, Captain America leaned over her, face tight and yet composed. He offered a smile as she met his eyes.  

“It’s alright, honey.” He said softly. It sounded odd. This was _Captain America_ talking, did he really talk like that…? Then his eyes were on Jade’s mother and a savage smile spread across his face. With all the blood covering his face, the simple grin turned grotesque and downright terrifying. Baby-blue eyes shrank down to slits, intense like lasers. With a growl, he lunged over Jade, clawed hands outstretched for her mother. Lips parted in a scream, Jade propelled herself backward, instinct taking over.

Mid-leap, something caught the man before he could reach her mother. A red-gold streak filled Jade’s vision as a loud shriek of metal resounded through the air.

Armor dented, and covered with burn marks, Iron Man bent over the Captain, one knee planted on the man’s chest. With a whine of motors, one armored hand shot down and gripped the man’s neck.

“What did you do to him?” The speakers crackled as Tony spoke, a horrible sound to go with their unsightly surroundings, “where’s Rogers?”

Pounding footsteps nearby alerted Jade to another approaching form. Out of the smoke, another Captain America appeared. He looked just as battered and worn through as his counterpart. This time, instead of touching her, the man met her gaze and yelled, an arm pointing past her.

“Get out of her, Miss! Go! It’s not safe!”

Jade felt her mother’s hand close around her wrist, roughly pulling her up. After a few steps, she looked back, craning her neck to see what had become of her rescuers. Renewed shock and horror jolted through her as she saw two Captain Americas fighting one another- one bearing claws and the other a shield. Nearby was an unmoving blotch of red and gold, slowly fading into the haze of smoke.

“Mr. Stark…” Jade whispered.

Two hours later she would see the event plastered all over the news. Captain America had managed to apprehend the “alien life form” before it had managed to harm anyone else. The soldiers had also been captured by the rest of the Avengers and handed over to an organization called SHIELD. Jane, however, would only have eyes for the portrait of Tony Stark broadcast in the subtext of the headlines.

 

> Stark in critical condition, current status: unknown. Red Skull calls today’s attack a “success”.
> 
>  

_“What’s it like being a superhero?”_

She now had an answer.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Is it a happy ending? A sad ending? Hmm… you know what? I don’t know. I’ll leave this one up to you!
> 
> Comments, Kudos, Critiques -they're all welcome!  
> Thank you for reading :)
> 
>  
> 
> Been working on a new series as well as editing some existing works  
> *cough*  
> *cough*  
> *Chronological Rift*
> 
>  
> 
> I've already made almost 5k worth of edits, so that's bound to mean something.


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